The invention relates to a digital tampon for feminine hygiene with a withdrawal cord. The digital tampon is formed from a tampon pledget.
Catamenial tampons comprised of absorbent material compressed to cylindrical form and provided with a withdrawal string attached to a rear portion of the tampon are presently being marketed in three major styles. One style generally known as the tube type tampon uses a pair of telescoping tubes as an insertion device. In this type, the tampon is disposed in the front end of the outer tube of a pair of telescopically associated tubes and the withdrawal string is extended to substantially its full length through the hollow center of the inner tube. The entire assembly is enclosed in a removable wrapper for hygienic handling.
A second style, generally known as the stick type tampon uses a stick as the insertion device. In this type an elongated inserter stick is removably disposed in a socket extending into the base of the tampon and the withdrawal string is extended to substantially its full length in an area parallel to the stick. This entire assembly is also enclosed in a removable wrapper for hygienic handling.
A third style known as the digital type tampon has no insertion device associated with it. For this type there are a number of ways suggested for insertion of the digital tampon. Namely, the digital tampon is introduced into the body cavity by hand, without an introduction aid where the user often uses the looped withdrawal string as an aid.
For tampons with an insertion device, the withdrawal string typically comprises a single cord that is sewn to the tampon pledget. The cord comprising the withdrawal cord tend to be of larger diameter to sufficiently sew the cord to the pledget using traditional techniques. Narrower or thinner cords are difficult to sew securely to a pledget without overstitching. Another problem in sewing narrower or thinner cords is the needle missing the cord entirely which results in less cord attachment to the tampon pledget. Secure attachment or engagement of the withdrawal string to or around the tampon is of high importance so that there is no inadvertent detachment of the withdrawal string from the tampon while attempting to remove the tampon from the body—which would leave no easy means for removing a tampon from the body and may require the assistance of medical personnel.
The intent of a withdrawal string is that a portion or end of the withdrawal string remain outside the body for easy grasping while another end of the withdrawal string is secured to the tampon. For digital tampons, looped withdrawal cords are typically used. The withdrawal cord is looped around the tampon pledget and a portion of the loop remains outside the body. This means that instead of one, there are often two cord segments outside the body which then pass by the labia, through the introitus and into the vaginal cavity where they are engaged with the tampon.
The withdrawal string for a digital tampon is typically narrower than those used with other tampons, partly because of the doubling of material passing through the body would lead to a more uncomfortable feeling for the wearer if thicker cords were employed. To securely engage the thinner cords or cord segments of the thinner withdrawal string with the tampon, manufacturers typically loop the withdrawal string through a hole punched into the tampon pledget or loop it around the tampon pledget by passing the pledget through the loop then folding or rolling the pledget about the looped withdrawal cord one or more times.
A more preferred way to engage a withdrawal string to a tampon is by sewing the cord or cord segment to the pledget. In the single cord tampons with insertion devices, the thread is either sewn through the cord and into the pad or sewn over the cord into the pad essentially encapsulating the cord using a sewing machine. It is preferred to sew the thread through the cord into a tampon pledget. The typical process for sewing a cord to a pledget is similar to the practice for sewing decorative cording to fabric as part of a decorative garment manufacture. The typical pledget process for sewing involves a presser foot and sewing table whereupon the pledget and the cord are combined between the presser foot and horizontal sewing support surface or table such that a needle loaded with thread can enter and withdraw from the advancing cord and pad such that a stitch is formed by the up-and-down (or in-and-out) motion of the needle engaging the top sewing thread with the looper thread introduced below the pledget and cord from underneath the sewing table. The cord is introduced to the pad under the presser foot with the cord traveling from above the presser foot then traveling through or under the bottom plane of the presser foot by the cord turning about a turning surface with an axis that is perpendicular to the axis/plane (typically a vertical axis/plane) through which the needle motion travels during the stitching cycle. Often there are lateral motion guides (such as aperture or slot side walls/surfaces or vertical pin guides) to minimize the lateral travel of the cord as it enters under the pressing foot in an attempt to center the cord underneath the needle. The current lateral guides provide some assistance, but there is still variation that becomes more unacceptable as the width or diameter of the cord decreases. From the turning surface to the closest stitch where the cord is sewn to the pledget, there is an inducing tension within the cord between those two points.
This application is directed to the digital sewn digital type tampon, and is particularly directed to an improved arrangement for the attachment of the string to the tampon pledget which provides easier facilitation of introducing the digital tampon into the body cavity.